Lap of Luxury

First, I want to extend a humble apology to all my "legions" of blog fans, who missed my new post last week. I made a commitment 1 1/2 years ago to post weekly to my blog. And I fell down on the job. I do have a reason, but it is a paltry excuse. I was on vacation!

The Hubster, the in-laws and I made a journey to Houston, TX last week to visit with his aunt, uncle and grandmother. The in-laws hadn't flown in years, and were reticent to fly alone, so The Hubster and I tagged along. We flew out of Tulsa, so it would be a direct flight to Houston Intercontinental (Bush). After a relatively uneventful trip, we arrived to warm Texas breezes and an even warmer welcome from The Hubster's Aunt Rosie and Uncle David.

Rosie is the kind of hostess everyone wants to be: kind, generous and down-to-earth. Their home is what most would consider a 5-star tropical resort, but she and David call it home. The dwelling is 7,000 square feet, six master bedrooms, eight bathrooms, gourmet kitchen, marble everywhere and a large pool with Jacuzzi out back. Yet, they make it a warm and welcoming abode.

The weather was typical Houston: warm, breezy, brief rains in the night, followed by sunny afternoons and star-filled skies in the evening. I barely needed any moisturizer at all, and my sweaters rarely left the suitcase. I spent as much time as I could outside, wandering the garden and pool area, sitting in the sun, and snapping a few photos. I tried to soak up all the sun I could, to face the rest of the Kansas winter.

One important thing we did every day was to visit The Hubster's grandmother in the local nursing home. She is 88 years old and has severe arthritis, but is bright as a button and has a serene smile for everyone. We had a lovely time reminiscing about The Hubster's childhood (he was the first grandchild). Granny loves music, so we sang a number of songs with her. Her favorite last week was "It's a Long Way to Tipperary!"

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Speaking of Grannies, I had lunch with my buddy, Jacquita, last week. She is a new grandma to Isaac, the most adorable 7-week-old baby on the planet! (Until my grands are born, anyway!) We had a great time talking about kids and babies and new jobs and how good God is, and all that goes with it. There is nothing like eating a Mexican lunch, talking and relaxing with someone who gets who you are, and doesn't seem to mind a bit!

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I attended a really cool event in Derby on Saturday afternoon. It was a tea, silent auction and spring fashion show, sponsored by my mom's club, the Soroptimists. Everything was really classy, but not snooty in any way. Ladies came from around the region to sip English tea, eat yummy desserts, bid on original artwork, jewelry, spa items, craftwork and restaurant gift certificates. Recognition was given to women making a difference in their community through service.

The fashion show was the perfect ending to this fun event. Coldwater Creek and Cato Fashions sponsored, with models from the local alternative high school. I got some great ideas for my spring wardrobe and got to hang out with my mom for the afternoon. I was worried it would be too high-class for me, but everyone was warm and friendly with not a bit of stuffiness to be found.

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Books I'm reading: "A Common Life," by Jan Karon, "Boo Hiss," by Rene Gutteridge and "I Second That Emotion," by Patsy Clairmont. I know...I'm an overachiever when it comes to books.

Exercise this week: Monday, 20 minutes treadmill and 15 minutes calisthenics with hand weights.